Thursday, June 15, 2017

Rambling

Wow, it's been more than three weeks? Lots has gone on, some of which I'll backtrack on at a later date.

Meanwhile, how do you tell someone that their contribution is valuable, appreciated and well worth what they are asking in consideration - but there is no way in hell they will get it? It's not that the desire isn't there, but the resources are in short supply and will be for some time to come. Life isn't fair, and this particular situation certainly isn't, but there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. This is going to be a difficult conversation with a very, very nice person.

This summer is racing by. It's less than three weeks until the fourth of July, which most consider the "middle" of summer. Around these parts, that's about when Lake Michigan warms up enough to consider actually swimming in it. We stretch our summer out as far as we can on both ends, with patio heaters, lots of layers of clothes (you need them in the morning, and peel them off through the day) and a dedication to enjoying every possible second of even moderately summer-like weather.

This is my slower season at work, or it should be, at any rate. Staffing issues, combined with an utter disregard for written procedures on the part of the staff who is the issue, will make the summer a bit more challenging than I'd like. I'm trying hard to revamp my own processes and timetables so I don't end up the kind of crazy I was this spring (through someone else's love for "fire drill" style of management, not my own fault). It's difficult to do when you are trying to figure out someone else's job on top of your own.

Annual increases came out last week. Have I mentioned I work for a nonprofit? My life seems to be nonprofit (I'd say "lol", but it is nothing to laugh about). Thanks to changes in insurance coverage, I think my salary has actually gone backwards, though due to changes in out-of-pocket limits and drug program things, not premium increases.

I am oh-so-slowly eating my way through the contents of the freezer, cooking many more meals at home. The sad reality of my single life is that I really don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen on weeknights. I'm hoping, through the aforementioned changes in processes at work, to not arrive home in the evening too emotionally drained to put on a pot of pasta. I tend to pick things up for dinner on the way home; I realized after my most recent vacation(where I cooked almost every meal) that I feel much better when I eat my own cooking regularly.

And then there is the financial savings, as well.

The advantage of cooking more often is the gain in speed. It's not so much that I'm a pokey cook, but more that I'm one who enjoys the process. I'm learning that there is great value in just speeding along to get the #@%$% food on the table. Making a large side dish (a potato gratin this week) near the start of the week cuts down on weeknight prep time. All the little things people who have to feed families daily (they do rather whine if not fed on a regular basis - sheesh) probably already know.

Trying to quilt on a regular basis as well. Not getting in there as quickly as I'd like.

Waiting for people to come and pick up the doggone furniture they've said they want. The twin bedroom set is in my way, and I'm tired of looking at the four drawer file cabinet. I've other furniture to move around, once those things are gone. The file cabinet is going to a family member, but needs to wait until either they find a place of their own, or until after their wedding in October. The bedroom set is going to the daughter of a friend, and I thought they would pick it up when they moved apartments several weeks ago, but I've heard...nothing.

Bah. Anyway, that's some of where I am right now. Now I need to have that difficult meeting...

2 comments:

Hope that meeting passed smoothly. Bet that was hard. And i hope you can have a restful weekend, especially today. Saturdays, in my experience, tend to get jammed up. Not my favorite day of the week. Enjoy yours. :)

Hope that meeting passed smoothly. Bet that was hard. And i hope you can have a restful weekend, especially today. Saturdays, in my experience, tend to get jammed up. Not my favorite day of the week. Enjoy yours. :)

ginosko

...signifies "to be taking in knowledge, to come to know, recognize, understand", or "to understand completely". In the NT ginosko frequently indicates a realtion between the person "knowing" and the object known; in this respect, what is "known" is of value or importance to the one who knows, and hence the establishment of the relationship.